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Drive & Control
Pedigree Ovens expands business
with Veronica cartoner
Challenge:
Help Pedigree Ovens meet
growing demand for producing
and packaging pet “treats” with a
flexible, high-throughput cartoning
machine able to package both
conventional and gable-top cartons
Rexroth Solution:
Ultra Packaging’s Veronica vertical cartoner provides an efficient, compact cartoning
solution that was custom-engineered to handle both conventional and gable-top
cartons, using Rexroth’s IndraMotion XLC platform for complete automation control and
fast changeovers.
•IndraDrive Mi cabinet-free
drive-motor solution
•IndraMotion XLC L25 motionlogic automation controller
supports up to 16 axis of motion
•IndraWorks Engineering complete
software suite supports HMIs,
PLCs, Drives and I/O in one
IEC 61131-3 environment
•IndraControl VCP 35 HMI,
10.4” touchscreen display
Results:
Pedigree Ovens
The company recently decided
(www.thepoundbakery.com,
to invest in cartoning technology
Harvard, IL) is a contract
to improve productivity and
manufacturer in the niche market
increase capacity. It chose
of high-end dog treats. Baking and
the compact Veronica Vertical
packaging products for 60 brands,
Cartoner from Ultra Packaging,
Pedigree produces an array of treats
Inc. (www.ultrapackaging.com,
packaged in cartons of varying sizes
Bensenville, IL), which operates with
and configurations. To do so, it’s
a complete Bosch Rexroth control and
critical that its packaging systems
drives solution.
be flexible enough to handle high
throughput, short turnaround times
and fast changeovers between jobs.
•Replaced manual cartoning
with automated system
•Single machine supports
both conventional and
gable-top closures
•Changeovers for different
products or different carton sizes
fast and easy to accomplish
•Pedigree can take on larger
packaging orders and has
increased production capacity
Operating at maximum capacity
The market for specialty pet treats
is competitive, with retail shelf
space at a premium. Manufacturers
need to find ways to stand out from
the competition, and eye-catching
packaging is an important and
successful technique.
While some of Pedigree’s clients use
conventional folded top cartons,
others request a gable-top closure for
improved shelf appeal. In addition,
Pedigree supports multiple package
dimensions, ranging from 4 to
10.5 inches high, 3 to 9 inches wide
and .75 to 3.5 inches deep.
With approximately 60 clients— each
with multiple treat types or flavors
and up to five packaging variations—
Pedigree’s success depends on its
Pedigree Ovens recently installed the Veronica cartoner from Ultra Packaging, automating
the cartoning process for pet treats and helping the company increase throughput and
grow its capacity to handle contract packaging projects.
ability to meet all client requests.
Until recently, the company used a
paperboard blanks and efficiently
PLCopen standard IEC 61131-3. For
manual cartoning process to fulfil
transports, closes and glues
the Veronica, it provides synchronized
customers’ needs. Once treats were
the cartons.
motion control on each axis as well as
bagged, a conveyor brought the filled
logic programming and features a wide
bags to manual stations where they
It is engineered to be a cost-effective
range of open interfaces, including
were inserted into erected boxes. The
solution for growing companies that
Sercos III, PROFINET and EtherNet/IP.
boxes were then manually sealed with
need fast changeovers and flexibility;
glue guns.
key to the Veronica’s versatility is its
Rexroth’s IndraDrive Mi cabinet-free
advanced control and drives platform
drive/motor system drives each axis.
from Bosch Rexroth.
With drive electronics integrated
“When we were smaller, we were able
to do everything manually,” said Kurt
into the motor housing, servo units
Stricker, owner of Pedigree Ovens.
“Rexroth components help make the
can be housed on the machine itself;
“But when we started getting larger
Veronica as powerful and as versatile
this helps make the Veronica a very
requests, only to turn them down
as it is,” said Bob Stockus, owner
compact and modular machine
because we didn’t have the cartoning,
of Ultra Packaging. “With Rexroth’s
that can be easily fit into tight
we knew it was time to expand our
components, the Veronica is user-
factory workspaces.
limited capacity.”
friendly and can be adapted for each
Automating the cartoning process
user’s needs, while staying within
The integrated motors and drives
a budget.”
offer additional benefits like reduced
Eager to boost throughput and enable
space and cooling requirements in
expansion without adding significantly
The Veronica uses the IndraMotion
the control cabinet. This system also
to costs, Pedigree researched
XLC motion logic controller, Bosch
reduces the machine’s component
several machines and selected Ultra
Rexroth’s premiere platform
cost; a single cable for power
Packaging’s Veronica cartoner. The
for motion, robotic, logic and
and communication runs from the
Veronica is a user-friendly seven-axis
hydraulic control applications, that
power supply, and each IndraDrive
cartoner that erects cartons from flat
is programmed according to the
erected, the bottom sealed and the
product inserted, the Veronica must
create gussets on the sides. The
machine has a mechanism that moves
up and down on either side of the
box to push the sides in. Then the
machine applies the glue and folds the
flap over the top to create a gable-top
closure resembling a milk carton.
The changeovers between
conventional and gable folds can
be done quickly, thanks to a special
sub-assembly Ultra Packaging added
to the Veronica for Pedigree. All the
components necessary for each type
of fold are grouped together on one
plate so the machine operator can
Multiple Rexroth IndraDrive Mi cabinet-free drive/motor units drive all the major axes on
the machine, including this portion of the machine which closes the carton top, shown
here closing a conventional carton.
change them all at once.
“Rexroth’s control and drives platform
provided essential programming
capabilities,” Stockus said. “Because
Mi is daisy-chained to the next for
then seals the filled box. For
the Rexroth IndraDrive Mi drive
significantly reduced cabling.
conventional closures, this is the
platform is extremely accurate
same process as sealing the bottom:
regarding the timing of the drives’
“Rexroth’s control and drives platform
The Veronica kicks a flap into place,
position, we were able to accomplish
gave us the flexibility we needed,”
applies glue and kicks the second flap
this and keep the changeover times to
Stricker said. “It was critical for our
into place.
a minimum.”
Gable-top closures require an
For Pedigree, this was an important
additional step. After the carton is
benefit of the Veronica. While most
dual fold capabilities.”
Veronica facilitates expansion
The Pedigree application is the first
that uses the Veronica for gable-fold
closures, but the cartoner proved
extremely well-suited for the job.
Once the pet treats are bagged,
they are transported to the cartoner
via a conveyor controlled with the
same IndraMotion XLC used for
the Veronica. The conveyor lifts the
products about six feet to reach
the Veronica.
The Veronica’s first step is to erect
each carton and seal the bottom.
The product is inserted at a manual
production station, and the Veronica
The IndraMotion XLC motion logic control system is the centerpiece of a complete
Rexroth machine control and drives solution, engineered for maximum efficiency and
compact space savings.
manufacturers would have two
“We were able to reduce labor and
“New opportunities are key as we
separate systems in place to handle
increase speed immediately, and
grow the company,” Stricker said.
two different folds, Pedigree can do
the return on investment was really
“We can definitely look at bigger jobs
everything with just one machine.
quick,” Stricker said. “A job that used
and larger customers, knowing that
With greater capacity for changeovers,
to take us three days can now be done
we can fill the orders.” He added that
the company now does up to
in an afternoon. It’s no comparison
Pedigree has recently added a new
three a day and 10 to 12 per week,
from before.”
customer worth several million dollars
enabling faster turnaround times and
greater flexibility.
a year in additional contract packaging
The Final Result
revenue — new business that’s a direct
The Veronica met all of Pedigree’s
result of adding the Veronica to
Overall, the automated cartoning
objectives and exceeded target
Pedigree’s production operations.
process is five to seven times faster,
production rates. The Rexroth
creating significant improvements in
XLC controller and IndraDrive Mi
“We pride ourselves in our flexibility,
throughput. Five to six people working
drive system provided the modular
in manufacturing and in packaging,”
together with the Veronica can
technology and intelligent automation
Stricker said. “That’s where the
package 40 to 60 bags per minute.
platform that enabled Ultra Packaging
Veronica’s really helped us. It’d be
And for easier jobs that simply require
to efficiently modify the Veronica to
hard to imagine getting all this work
repackaging into shelf-ready boxes,
integrate conventional and gable-top
done without the Veronica.”
the team can reach 60 to 70 bags
cartons on a single machine.
per minute.
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©2015 Bosch Rexroth Corporation
Subject to change without notice.
Printed in USA.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FORM bos3232/01.2015
Bosch Rexroth Corporation
14001 South Lakes Drive
Charlotte, NC 28273-6791
Telephone (800) 739-7684
www.boschrexroth-us.com